KOR- Jung Chung-rae's timing for declaring candidacy? Considering the justification for re-election and President Lee's overseas trip
- Harm of personal politics? When did Jung Chung-rae ever do personal politics?
- Push for merger, attacked by Kim's close associate... Jung was unfairly targeted
- Kim says "Only cursing at rebellion forces"? I disagree, has the rebellion ended?
- Jung Chung-rae just needs to be evaluated for a vote of confidence, stop the negative campaigning
- Adopting the preferential voting system? Highly likely to lead to legal disputes
- Cannot determine advantage or disadvantage... Kim and Song seem to think it is advantageous for them
- Lee Sung-yoon's 'cold medicine'? The intent was to ask why he was late, he just needs to explain
- Suspected cover-up of the 'Jang Yoon-ki case' must be strictly punished as a warning to others
- Criminal Procedure Act TF's proposed bill will sufficiently compensate for any investigation gap
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 - 9:00)
■ Date: July 10, 2026 (Friday)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Representative Han Min-soo, Democratic Party of Korea
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: A heated debate is underway over whether to introduce a preferential voting system in the Democratic Party of Korea's leadership election. To understand why this has become such an issue, we have Representative Han Min-soo of the Democratic Party of Korea, who served as chief of staff to former Chairman Jung Chung-rae, on the line. Hello, Representative.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Hello. I am Han Min-soo, National Assembly member for Gangbuk-eul, Seoul.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, are you running in the national convention?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: I have received many recommendations and have been deeply contemplating it, but now I have made up my mind.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: So you are running, right?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: I intend to run.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Looking at those who have announced their candidacy for the Supreme Council, most of them, if we were to divide them by faction, are close to former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. There aren't many who are close to former Chairman Jung Chung-rae. Are you currently the only candidate for the Supreme Council from the so-called 'pro-Jung' faction?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: That is not the case. I hear that several others are preparing, and I also pondered for a long time about what role I would play if I run, get elected, and join the leadership.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Then, what is your justification for running?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: First, second, and third, I want to walk the path toward the success of President Lee Jae-myung's sovereign citizen government, victory in the 2028 general election, and the retention of power. And we must do it because the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration is not just for our President alone. It is for all of us, and I am convinced that it is the way for South Korea to succeed.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: But former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's position is that for the Lee Jae-myung administration to succeed, the party leader must not engage in personal politics, and that former Chairman Jung Chung-rae engaged in too much personal politics.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Yes.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: By that logic, since you are close to former Chairman Jung Chung-rae, according to former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's standards, you wouldn't be of much help to the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: If the standard of being close is having served and worked with him, then yes, it is true that I am very close to former Chairman Jung Chung-rae. After all, I served as his chief of staff.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Right.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: However, during the time when President Lee Jae-myung, whom I respect and love, was the opposition party leader, I served for three consecutive years in a role that is probably the longest in the history of the Democratic Party of Korea.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: As spokesperson?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Yes.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: That's right. You served for a long time.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: I served as spokesperson for three consecutive years, assisting the President during his first and second terms as party leader. If so, aren't I someone who goes beyond being 'pro-Lee' to being 'deeply pro-Lee'? So, I wonder if it is even right to categorize people as belonging to someone's faction. I have thought about why the former Prime Minister used the term 'personal politics.' When former Chairman Jung Chung-rae served as party leader from August 2 of last year (August 2, 2025) until just recently, isn't 'personal politics' about doing politics for private interest? Using the position of party leader during that period. But did Chairman Jung actually appoint his own people to positions, as journalists and others might think? For key positions, he appointed people who did not support him. He practiced balanced personnel appointments.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Then, during the most important nominations last June 3 (June 3, 2026), was there even a single case of him recommending someone? In the local elections, everyone went through primaries. And some people close to him even suffered disadvantages and were eliminated because they received penalty points. They asked to have those penalties removed, but he did not do so. Lastly, let me add one more thing: during that period, was there ever any real discord between the party and the Blue House, or between the government and the Blue House? If I recall correctly, the media pointed out about two instances, but they all turned out to be misunderstandings.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Therefore, I cannot readily accept the former Prime Minister's claim about 'personal politics' or its 'harm.'
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: I see. In any case, it sounds like you are saying, "Do not confine me to the frame of the pro-Jung faction."
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Well, not necessarily.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: No? Then you are part of the pro-Jung faction, right?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: What can I say about how the media categorizes me? However, my greatest ultimate task and grand proposition is, as I mentioned earlier...
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: The success of the Lee Jae-myung administration.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Indeed. Only when our government succeeds will South Korea succeed. And we must retain power.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: By the way, why hasn't former Chairman Jung Chung-rae declared his candidacy yet? Everyone else has.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: I haven't heard from him directly. But as I think about why he is contemplating so deeply and ask those around him, I speculate that as he challenges for a consecutive term, he needs to present a justification for re-election to our party members and supporters, as well as a future vision and direction for our party as the ruling party in the second year of the President's administration. He is likely pondering over that. Also, the President is currently on an overseas trip. Isn't that so? I understand he is returning tomorrow (July 11, 2026). I guess he might be concerned that if he declares his candidacy during the President's trip, public attention might shift entirely to him.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Could it be that he hasn't made a final decision on running because of how to define his relationship with the Blue House? Is that not the case?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Since stepping down as chief of staff, I have had my own local schedule and other commitments, so I haven't been right by his side. However, looking at his messages and personal schedule so far, I don't think that is the case.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: So you are saying there is no possibility of him not running.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Yes, that is how I see it.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Former Chairman Jung Chung-rae wrote on social media, "If you fight two-on-one or three-on-one, you get beaten up badly. It hurts a lot." Since you served as his chief of staff for a long time, what kind of feelings do you think he had when writing this? The 'two' likely refers to former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Representative Song Young-gil. Does the 'three' include Representative Ko Min-jung?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Since he only wrote it like that, I don't think he was directly naming anyone. But looking at the current situation, as you, Anchor Kim, asked earlier about 'personal politics,' from former Chairman Jung Chung-rae's perspective, he must feel unfairly treated. In that sense, with people framing him on every issue and attacking him in the National Assembly, I think this social media post is just his personal reflection.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Do you also sometimes feel that the offensive from the other three is going too far?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Yes, actually, I do feel that way sometimes.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: For example, in what way or which part?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: The parts about 'personal politics' that I mentioned earlier, and also when another candidate went elsewhere and was asked about the merger—we had proposed a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party early this year (early 2026), right? Looking back at that process—since I was the chief of staff at the time—I think some criticisms that the prior deliberation process was not meticulously managed are valid to some extent.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: However, I do not believe that former Chairman Jung Chung-rae made the proposal and tried to push it for his own personal benefit. And coincidentally, because we thought the controversy would grow at the time, former Chairman Jung barely spoke up; he didn't even exercise his minimum right to defend himself. Later, coincidentally, a Supreme Council member close to former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok posted a detailed explanation on social media, which revealed that former Chairman Jung had been quite unfairly attacked on many fronts.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Therefore, I don't think it is desirable to wage political offensives by fiercely opposing something first, drawing a line, and declaring it wrong whenever an issue arises, rather than dealing with it calmly.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: But the statements from the other side are getting stronger. Yesterday (July 9, 2026), former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said, "What is the point of just cursing at the rebellion forces? It is so embarrassing that we are falling behind in party approval ratings." And Representative Song Young-gil said, "If we don't replace him like Coach Hong Myung-bo, we will get a red card in the general election." You are facing a pincer attack from both sides.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: That is probably why former Chairman Jung Chung-rae used the expression, "If you fight two-on-one or three-on-one and get beaten up badly, it hurts a lot."
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Do you have a strategy to break through this? Because you cannot be free from this either. Since you were former Chairman Jung Chung-rae's chief of staff, you will likely face attacks as well once the national convention begins.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: If people point out reasonable and valid issues regarding what happened during my tenure as chief of staff, I will explain and clarify if there were any mistakes. However, regarding the 'rebellion forces' part, though I haven't read the exact text, has the current rebellion completely ended? The person who is the leader of the People Power Party is shouting about rigged elections and re-elections, and yesterday (July 9, 2026), former President Yoon Suk-yeol's seven-year prison sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court for obstructing arrest. At that time, dozens of People Power Party lawmakers rushed there, formed a scrum, and obstructed the investigative agency's arrest. Those people have not said a single word of apology. Is it all over then? Should we not demand accountability for that? Do you think that aligns with the public sentiment or the sentiment of our party members? I do not agree that the party fell into difficulty because of that.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Once former Chairman Jung Chung-rae declares his candidacy and enters the race, he will be evaluated by our party members and the public. If the public and party members say, "You did well, there might be some flaws but you did well overall. You assisted the President well during his first year in office, and Chairman Jung did a good job," then he will receive a vote of confidence. If not, they will judge him. The campaign period has just begun, although candidate registration hasn't opened yet. While they can attack like this, I hope they refrain from negative campaigning as much as possible and focus on genuine verification.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: I see. What is your position on the preferential voting system?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: I recall we used the preferential voting system when we elected the floor leader. However, at this stage, I think there are procedural and timing issues. Procedurally, if we adopt the preferential voting system without at least amending the party rules, I think there is a very high possibility that party members on the opposing side will file legal disputes, regardless of whether Candidate A or Candidate B becomes the party leader. This is because the amendment must be made clearly. After the National Convention Preparation Committee's decision, I looked into it and found that the party rules clearly have a clause for a runoff vote and a separate clause for a preferential voting system. Those are clearly different things. And the party constitution states that the party leader is elected only through a runoff vote.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Therefore, to amend the party rules, there must be a resolution by the Party Affairs Committee. Unless there is a measure to include both runoff voting and preferential voting together, the controversy is likely to persist.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Second, in terms of timing, candidate registration is next week on July 16 and 17. That is only about a week away. If we touch the most important party leader election rules so close to the date, it would be great if everyone unanimously agreed, but if not, I think it will cause significant controversy.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: But Representative, the National Convention Preparation Committee's position is that there is no problem after re-deliberation, and if the Supreme Council approves it today (July 10, 2026), it will be finalized. Do you think former Chairman Jung Chung-rae will be at a disadvantage if this is introduced?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Well, that depends on the hearts of our party members. We have so many registered party members—is it really 1.5 million? I don't know the exact number, but a massive number of our party members and citizens will vote. I am not sure if we can easily determine who has the advantage or disadvantage right now.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: However, the media usually says that if three candidates run, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Representative Song Young-gil are currently moving in a 1-on-2 structure against former Chairman Jung Chung-rae. The media is making such assessments. In that case, if they push forward with the preferential voting system...
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Well, those who are pushing for it are doing so because they think it is advantageous for them, right? That is what I think.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: I see. Representative, about the 'cold medicine' issue. Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon raised an issue, demanding that former Prime Minister Kim disclose the ingredients of his cold medicine. However, after CCTV footage was released on Kim Eo-jun's show, it was confirmed that although Prime Minister Kim Min-seok was a bit late for the vote, he was indeed inside the National Assembly. So, what should Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon do now?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Shouldn't you ask Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon directly? But in my opinion, the essence of why Supreme Council member Lee raised this issue on social media—this is just my judgment—is that the former Prime Minister has his constituency in the National Assembly area, and as someone who has been at the forefront of warning about martial law more than anyone else—he was the senior Supreme Council member at the time—yet did he not show up for that grave vote to lift martial law? I think he wanted to ask about that. He can just explain that.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Do you think he should apologize?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Who?
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon. Because the misunderstanding—anyway, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's CCTV footage was released.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: You should invite Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon and ask him about the whole process.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: I see. Last question. Representative, the bill on supplementary investigation rights was proposed yesterday (July 9, 2026), the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act. With the 'Jang Yoon-ki case' breaking out now, will this be okay?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: The Jang Yoon-ki case is something that should never have happened. I heard the police investigation team leader involved was also arrested. We must strictly punish them as a warning to others and impose strong disciplinary action. Something that should never happen has occurred.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: But the People Power Party is attacking us over this case. Yesterday (July 9, 2026), our party's Criminal Procedure Act Amendment TF proposed an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act. It was submitted, and I believe it contains sufficient complementary measures to reduce any investigation gaps. As you know, even if the supplementary investigation rights are abolished, it contains provisions to substantially strengthen the right to request supplementary investigations.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: It requires the supplementary investigation to be completed within one month of the request. If they do not comply, we can demand a replacement, making it much stronger. It also strengthens the Investigation Review Committee and establishes a Human Rights Protection Bureau to ensure substantial control over the police.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: First of all, our party's bill has been proposed. So, the People Power Party should stop just wandering around outside. I am truly embarrassed by their party leader. How can he go around using such terms for the President? If he wants to shout about rigged elections and re-elections, he should start by making Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon resign first.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Really?
[Guest] Han Min-soo: If he is not going to talk about that, then he shouldn't. I earnestly request them to come into the National Assembly and participate in legislation for the sake of the public.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: I see. We will wrap up here. That was Representative Han Min-soo of the Democratic Party of Korea. Thank you.
[Guest] Han Min-soo: Thank you.
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[SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show]
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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